Scream 3

In Scream 3, the trilogy's raison d'être self-mockery gimmick is dead on arrival and the Munch-masked serial killer has become a sad cliché who, apparently, is also a Rich Little wannabe. He spends most of the movie imitating the voices of major characters to lure minor characters down unlit hallways to their certain deaths. Then comes the tell-tale metallic zinging sound of a knife blade, a couple shrieks and a little splatter. Rinse and repeat. Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox Arquette, David Arquette and Liev Schreiber reprise their roles from the first two installments, while series helmer Wes Craven directs (though he fails to exploit, to any entertaining extent, the ironic fact that 3 takes place on and around the set of a Hollywood slasher movie based on events in the other Scream flicks). Makes one glad it's the (reportedly) final installment. Not a necessary purchase. (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—Apr. 12, 2011—Lionsgate, 117 min., R, $19.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2000's Scream 3 sports a fine transfer with DTS-HD 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Wes Craven, producer Marianne Maddelena and editor Patrick Lussier, deleted scenes (13 min.), an alternate ending (10 min.), outtakes (7 min.), a behind-the-scenes montage (6 min.), the music video “What If” by Creed, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray debut for a disappointing threequel.]